A NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. 15 



But we are not starting that way. Our State Survey has its 

 traditions. We have several centers of scientific work instead 

 of one and it is inevitable and desirable that, directly or indi- 

 rectly, they should have a hand in much at least of the scien- 

 tific work that in the future is undertaken by the State. 



This condition of affairs would perhaps suggest a form of 

 organization similar to that of Indiana, in which a Biological 

 Survey was inaugurated by the Academy of Science five years 

 ago. This has since been adopted by the State, and is quite 

 distinct from the Geological Survey, though working in entire 

 harmony with it, the State Geologist being an active mem- 

 ber of the Academy. "In a very short time," says Pro- 

 fessor Stanley Coulter, " the work in this survey was felt to 

 be of great importance to the State. An application to the 

 Legislature secured an annual appropriation of $600 for the 

 publication of the proceedings. The Academy furnished the 

 material and the editorial supervision without cost to the State. 

 The State, however, prints and provides for the distribution of 

 not less than 1,500 copies annually of the proceedings." We 

 have then, at our door, a successful solution of the question 

 by a State in which the situation of affairs at the inauguration 

 of the Biological Survey was nearly identical with that in the 

 State of Michigan at the present time. We can hardly do bet- 

 ter than to learn of our neighbor and move forward. 



To recapitulate: It has been the purpose of this paper to 

 formulate and emphasize the following facts: 



1. The responsibility of the State for a scientific study 

 of its own natural resources has become fully established by 

 the continuous practice of our own and many other States. 



2. Equally well established in theory, and in various 

 States in practice also, is the fact that a Biological or Natural 

 History Survey is of as great importance and has as great 

 claims upon the State as a Geological Survey. 



3. The time is favorable in Michigan for undertaking a 

 Natural History Survey; and the State Academy is the nat- 

 ural source from which the movement should originate. 



